Porn hack raises questions regarding OS and digital signage security

This past week, the media’s been abuzz with the recent hacking of digital signage kiosks in Washington D.C.’s Union Station. The simple fact that adult-oriented content was displayed nefariously in a public space frequented by people of all ages is cause for concern. And while this particular incident makes for catchy headlines, it underscores the (often overlooked) importance of security. Failure to take necessary security precautions leaves digital signage networks…for lack of a better term…exposed.

Truth be told, unauthorized access of signage networks happens more frequently than you may think – and certainly more frequently than is reported in the media. The reality is that most digital signage is now connected to the internet in one way or another – either to pull real-time content or for the purpose of remote network management. Internet connectivity leaves signage networks vulnerable, and software is the only deterrent that stands in the way of hackers.

All too often, standard consumer operating systems such as Android, Mac OS, Windows and Chrome OS are used to drive signage networks. And while consumer OS solutions are easy to implement and feature rich, they are notoriously difficult to protect. These operating systems are constantly updated as their publishers add new functionality and bug fixes. Each of these updates creates a new potential backdoor for hackers to exploit to gain access to the network. So unless network administrators and software vendors are constantly looking for and shutting down these backdoors as they’re created, hackers will find a way in.

For years I’ve preached the advantages of purpose-build digital signage over traditional signage solutions. Here is yet another example of how hardware and software with the sole purpose of powering digital signage hold a significant advantage over consumer-oriented operating system solutions. Proprietary operating systems that are built solely for digital signage far surpass consumer-oriented operating systems in their approach to security. A proven security platform that can be utilized in this proprietary operating system approach is one that is widely used in the broadcast industry. This approach allows for the content to be hardware-encrypted which enables an extra layer of security so that the content is real-time decrypted with customer-specific security keys in the processor at the time of delivery to the display.

The silver lining emerging from the Union Station incident is that it spotlights the importance of secure software within the digital signage ecosystem. Each notable security breach presents an opportunity for proprietors and vendors to reassess their signage infrastructure to ensure they aren’t at risk for the embarrassment and disruption of a compromised network.

Image via Istock.com

Original post: https://www.digitalsignagetoday.com/blogs/porn-hack-raises-questions-regarding-os-and-digital-signage-security/

Coyote drive-in theater opens in North Texas this weekend

Three years after Coyote Drive-In brought an old-school moviegoing experience back to Fort Worth, they are opening a new set of screens this weekend in Lewisville.

At the intersection of Midway Road and Holford’s Prairie Road, the new Coyote is larger and has more amenities than the three-screen original. This one features five screens, a 10,000-square-foot restaurant, a beer garden, indoor concession area, and has the capacity for about 1,500 vehicles, about 300 more than in Fort Worth.

The five screens, two more than Fort Worth, will show 10 different films each night, each screen showing double features.

Friday through Thursday this week will offer: Inferno with The Magnificent Seven, Ouija: Origin of Evil with Girl on the Train, Keeping Up With the Jonseses with Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, Jack Reacher with Deepwater Horizon and for something a little lighter, Storks with Tyler Perry’s Boo!: A Madea Halloween.

The drive-in is pet-friendly and has a play area for kids. Portable radios can be rented for $5.

Six Collin county cities among best real-estate markets

According to latest WalletHub study, 6 Collin County cities were named among the best real-estate markets nationwide. Overall, there are 8 Texas cities in top 20.

See rankings below.

Overall Rank

City

Total Score

‘Real-Estate Market’ Rank

‘Affordability & Economic Environment’ Rank

1

Frisco, TX

86.76

1

1

2

McKinney, TX

83.87

2

2

3

Richardson, TX

80.95

3

12

4

Murfreesboro, TN

79.80

4

13

5

Austin, TX

79.75

5

8

6

Allen, TX

79.30

14

4

7

Overland Park, KS

78.32

7

40

8

Thornton, CO

77.61

12

17

9

Plano, TX

77.49

13

18

10

Arvada, CO

77.47

9

43

11

Denver, CO

77.11

6

101

12

Denton, TX

77.01

15

28

13

Greeley, CO

76.99

10

60

14

Nashville, TN

76.78

8

80

15

Lincoln, NE

76.56

16

37

16

Cary, NC

76.09

31

3

17

Carrollton, TX

75.95

17

23

18

Seattle, WA

75.38

11

133

19

Boise, ID

74.28

20

68

20

Irvine, CA

74.18

22

53

In order to identify the best real-estate markets, WalletHub’s analysts compared 300 cities across two key dimensions, namely “Real-Estate Market” and “Affordability & Economic Environment.”
They evaluated these categories using 16 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with 100 representing the healthiest housing market.

They then calculated overall scores for each city using the weighted average across all metrics, which were then used to construct final ranking.

Sign and Graphics Companies, Communities Get Guidance on Temporary Signs

September 1, 2016

Communities continue to grapple with revising sign codes to comply with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Reed v. Town of Gilbert. In recent days, cities and states have faced lawsuits, questioning whether existing codes meet the Supreme Court ruling.

The court case dealt primarily with temporary signs, ensuring that communities must treat all types of temporary signs the same regardless of the message contained on them. Temporary signs have long been an important type of signage—and a complex issue for communities to navigate. The Signage Foundation has revised and updated its Best Practices in Regulating Temporary Signs to provide additional guidance in light of Reed. The research offers information on various types of signs, regulating them and ensuring that any sign codes comply with court rulings, including Reed.

“Because of Reed, real-estate, political and construction signs, etc. are now considered content-based signs because you define them by their content…While it is true that before Reed a few court cases allowed the regulation of a limited number of content-based signs, such as real estate or political signs, those decisions have now been effectively overturned by the Reed decision and should no longer be considered good law,” Wendy Moeller writes in the updated document.

Moeller, AICP, is a principal and owner of Compass Point Planning, a planning and development firm based in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is a member of the Signage Foundation’s board of directors.

In addition to the temporary signs research, the Signage Foundation has updated its analysis of the Reed case. Professor Alan Weinstein, a nationally recognized expert on planning law, provides the guidance in The State of Sign Codes After Reed v. Town of Gilbert. The analysis looks deeper into the court decision and provides guidance for communities in responding to the ruling.

Small Businesses Take Major Step Forward in Sign Fight

Small businesses hampered by a restrictive permitting process now will now have an easier time getting approval for signs to help advertise their businesses.
The victory came when the Chicago City Council passed a law streamlining the permitting process earlier this month. Previously, those seeking a sign permit had to receive approval from the city council before the sign could be installed. According to the Small Business Advocacy Council, which had worked with a coalition to improve the permitting process for more than a year, the old permitting process could significantly delay the installation of new signs.
According to testimonials of businesses affected, some were unable to install a sign for a number of months after opening—significantly impacting their ability to attract new customers. Others said they took the risky move of installing signs without the proper permits.

The Small Business Advocacy Council coalition included work from local chambers of commerce as well as the International Sign Association and the Illinois Sign Association. ISA and the Illinois Sign Association both brought expertise on the economic value of signs to business and insight into the benefits of streamlining the permitting process.

When the bill passed the City Council, the Small Business Advocacy Council estimated it would reduce the amount of time spent waiting for a permit by 50-80 percent.

To learn more about ISA’s advocacy work on behalf of small businesses, contact David Hickey,David.Hickey@signs.org.

Vikings, Wells Fargo File Competing Motions in Signage Dispute

By Rochelle Olson Star Tribune

The Vikings say the Wells Fargo logos, visible only from above the buildings, “photo bomb” the image of the team’s new downtown Minneapolis stadium in telecasts.

The Minnesota Vikings and Wells Fargo both want a judge to rule on their behalf before a federal trial on whether the bank’s rooftop signs in Minneapolis “photo-bomb” the image of the new U.S. Bank Stadium.

Both sides filed motions Monday that will be heard by U.S. District Court Judge Donovan Frank on June 3. The documents filed are both motions for summary judgment, meaning each side wants the judge to pick the winner because the other’s claim lacks substance. The motion is typical in civil cases.

The Vikings, legally acting as the “Minnesota Vikings Football Stadium LLC,” filed the lawsuit last year because Wells Fargo put raised signs on the rooftops of two office towers adjacent to the new $1.1 billion U.S. Bank Stadium. The 56-by-56-foot logos are elevated 18 inches, which the Vikings say is a violation of a two-year-old agreement that the signs would be flush with the rooftops.

The issue is millions, not inches. U.S. Bank, a Wells Fargo competitor, paid the Vikings undisclosed millions for the naming rights to the massive new stadium. The bank’s logo is on the stadium’s roof in white — visible from commercial flights in and out of the city.

The yellow and red Wells Fargo logo on each of the 17-story office towers capped the bank’s $300 million investment in a $400 million mixed-use development in Downtown East. Some 5,000 Wells Fargo employees work in the towers.

The Vikings say the Wells Fargo logos, visible only from above the buildings, “photo bomb” the image of the new stadium in telecasts.

Wells Fargo counters that its signs are allowed under the agreement with the team.

If Frank doesn’t pick a side, the case is scheduled for trial in July. The new stadium opens with a soccer match on Aug. 3.

Negotiations for the initial agreement nearly tanked the entire development around Wells Fargo. When the signs started going up, the Vikings complained to Wells Fargo, but the bank forged on.

The sides met last week with U.S. Magistrate Judge Janie Mayeron in a closed-door settlement conference. They left without reaching agreement. The case is on an expedited track.

Under a preliminary ruling by Frank, the signs remain in place for now.

The coolest new sign in the world (or at least in Portland)

Panic, which has been making nifty software for Apple devices for a very long time, just dressed up its headquarters with signage. Which would not be worth even a medium-sized whoop except for one fact: The company not only rigged its sign to change colors, but also built a web app that lets anyone choose a color scheme.

5 Types of Signage No Retailer Can Afford to Ignore

If you want to operate a successful physical retail business that attracts customers and drives sales, then you need to get noticed – and smart retailers know that starts with signage.

Quality signage is an easy and effective way to drive foot traffic and communicate with your customers when designing your store. However, if done incorrectly it can cause overstimulation and even confusion. Signage in your brick-and-mortar business is just as important as your website design, and retail signage shouldn’t be an afterthought.

Why do signs play such an important role in physical retail? Just as your site’s sales copy should be attention-grabbing and concise, your in-store signs should be clear and useful. Consider signs your silent but highest-selling salespeople. Signage helps your customers navigate your shop without asking sales staff basic questions.

Much like you set standards for an employee’s appearance and expectations for their conduct, the color, visibility, messaging, and quality of signs also require a certain amount of development and consideration. Also like employees, signs can be given on-the-job tasks, ranging from sales information and wayfinding to general product information and usage. With that in mind, here are some general best practices you’ll want to keep in mind when thinking about store layout and signage, followed by five types of signs you won’t be able to do without.

Retail Signage Best Practices

No matter what kinds of signs you decide to include in your brick-and-mortar store, consider these best practices:

Be specific: A customized sign can give you just the right message in just the right place, known as narrowcasting. When designing a sign, include specific details, such as location-specific instructions and relevant product information.

Keep it simple: Your sign’s message needs to be clear, yet one with too much information is often ignored. Use the five-second rule which states that if you can convey the main themes of the sign in less than five seconds, you pass. If it takes longer, shorten your message or use a series of signs.

Write in headline text: This should help you be concise and simple all at once. Understand the first principle of print journalism: the punch line matters. Can you simplify your text? Can you take out prepositions and extra words? Effective custom signs use a message hierarchy: headline, explanatory text, and finally, a call to action.

Make a call to action: Signs are advertisements, and as any good advertiser knows, you need to get the customer to do something; that’s the call to action. An effective sign needs to have a simple goal.

This brings us to the five most crucial types of retail signage you should consider when opening your brick-and-mortar store:

Outdoor Signage

Outdoor signage is arguably the most important kind in physical retail because it’s what gets customers in the door, the largest hurdle to beginning a relationship. Exterior signage is the first impression customers have of your business.

These signs need to do more than simply announce who you are, they need to draw in customers and make them want something from you. Effective signage may encourage people who have passed your store many times before to finally give it a chance.

Outdoor signage can take the form of sidewalk signs, entrance signs, awnings, or window signs. Place signage where it is visible to as much walk-by and drive-by traffic as possible. Outdoor signage in particular should be branded effectively to draw the customer in and help to convey the experience that they can expect inside the establishment.

How Can a New Sign Help an Existing Business?

What can a 33 year old business that sells stoves do to increase its sales and profitability?

Notice the question is about “profitability” and not “sales”? Anybody can increase sales $100,000 by spending $200,000, but that doesn’t help the business any. The goal is to be more profitable!

Revitalize your sign, possibly even add an LED display to it. That’s precisely what a 33 year old company that sells stoves did in Bernville, Pennsylvania. They removed their old freestanding sign (wood poles, static message in between them) and replaced it with a modern pylon sign (columns, static lighted message in between and a programmable LED sign beneath that).

The immediate effects to their bottom line were staggering.

One year after the new sign was installed they had their best sales year ever!

By shifting advertising expenses from billboards and newspaper ads, which are a money pit of advertising, and putting that towards the sign right in front of their business they quickly recovered the expense of the new sign and more!

Immediately they were receiving comments from their customers like, “I had no idea you were here!” and “How long have you been at this location?”

At their open house, which they have every year, they asked the attendees how they knew about the store. 75% said it was the sign that brought them in.

By upgrading their sign they not only created a more impressive, modern appeal to their customers but also told people they’re “alive and thriving” and implied they have new modern products to go with their new modern image.

The LED display allows them to broadcast messages to their potential customers at the right times in their sales cycle. For instance, they can now immediately change their message from new outdoor stoves in the Spring to wood chips in the Fall and Winter.

If you want your business to experience revitalized sales, take a look at what your customers see … the front of your business. Buy a new, modern sign!